Grapples



July 8, 1958 R. c. HERMANN 2,842,391

GRAPPLES Filed April 15, 195e A. /NVENI'OR R C. HERMANN y,a Won/verGRAPPLES Richard C. Hermann, Belleville, N. J., assigner to WesternElectric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application April 13, 1956, Serial No. 578,125

2 Claims. (Cl. 294-67) moved.

The object of the present invention is a grapple which is simple instructure, continuously balanced and readily actuable for loads ofvarious sizes.

In one embodiment of the invention according to the object, the grappleincludes a main frame for attachment to a transporting means and adaptedfor interconnection with auxiliary frames, having supporting heads for-receiving the ends of articles to be transported, and operativelyconnected for adjustment relative to each other for loads of varioussizes.

More specifically the grapple includes a main frame with guide ways forsliding movement of the auxiliary frames with their respective articlesupporting heads rela- `tive to each other, and a driving mechanismunder the control of a handwheel for adjusting the auxiliary frames likedistances toward or away from each other and the connecting center ofthe main frame to maintain a balance in the grapple and adjust thegrapple for loads of various sizes.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of the grapple supporting articles ofa given length to be transported;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan View of the grapple;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line3-3 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-,4 of Fig.2.

The grapple includesva main frame indicated generally at 10, auxiliaryframes 11 with depending article supporting heads 12 carried thereby anda mechanism under the control of a handwheel 14 to bring about likeadjustments of the auxiliary frames 11 and their heads relative to themain frame for receiving and supporting, in the heads 12, articles 15 ofdifferent lengths.

The main frame 10 is composed of pairs of back-toback angular memberswhich, in the present instance, may -be identified as outer channelmembers 17 and inner channel members 1S disposed as illustrated in Fig.3 parallel with each other but in a staggered arrangement to receive`Z-shaped members 19 of the auxiliary frames 11. The channel members 17and 18 of each pair are properly spaced fromI each other by lateralmembers 22 having end contours as illustrated in Fig. 3 welded to thechannel members. Openings 23 in the ends of the lateral members 22provides space for lthe upper portions 2,842,391 Patented July 8, 1958ice 24 of the Z-shaped members 19 which rest upon and also ride upon theinner channel members 18. A central pair of lateral members 25, havingtheir ends xed to the outer channel members 17 of the main frame, areconnected at their centers with a suitable pin 26 adapted for connectionto a hook 27 which may be a part of any suitable transporting means suchas a monorail type of conveyor or any desiredhoist or transportingtruck. The main frame 10 is also provided with a number of inner lateralmembers 30 having their ends welded to the inner channel members 18 andprovided with bearings 31 for a shaft 32.

The auxiliary frames 11 have the box type heads 12 xed in any suitablemanner to the Z-shaped members 19. The 'heads 12 have lower portions 33for supporting the ends of articles 15, side members 34 to retain thearticles against displacement laterally and closed ends 35 to engage andforce the ends of the articles into alignment with each other and tomaintain the articles against displacement longitudinally duringtransporting of the articles.

The adjusting means originates with the handwheel 14 which is mounted ona shaft 38 with a gear 39. The shaft 38 is supported by suitablebearings and is held against axial movement by suitable means not shown.The gear 39 has pinions 40 disposed in interengagement therewith, thepinions being mounted on the adjacent ends of threaded shafts or screws41. The screws 41 are held against axial movement and extend throughthreaded elements 42, Figs. 2 and 4, which are supported for rockingmovement in bearings 43. Rotation of the handwheel 14 will causerotation of the screws 41 in like directions simultaneously to move theright hand auxiliary frame relative to the main frame.

Additional driving means including the shaft 32 connects the twoauxiliary frames 11 to assure like movements thereof relative to themain frame. This is brought about through the provision of racks 45mounted on the undersurface of the innermost portion of each Z-shapedmember 19 asshown in Fig. 3. Each auxiliary frame 11 has its racks 45interengaging pinions 46 which are mounted in pairs on shafts 47, theends of which are journalled in bearings 48, only one of which is shownin Fig. 3. The bearings 48 are lixedly mounted in their respectivechannel members 18. The shafts 47 have bevelled gears 49 mounted thereonand disposed in interengagement with companion bevelled gears 5d mountedon the adjacent ends of the shaft 32.

Considering now the function of the grapple, let it be assumed that thegrapple is loaded with the parts 15 of the lengths shown in Fig. l, andthat it is being moved to a position where the parts are needed fortheir next processing steps. When arriving at this position, the grappleis lowered to position the articles 15 on a suitable support and thehandwheel 14 is rotated in a direction to cause the auxiliary frames 11to move outwardly relative to the main frame 10 to free the ends `12from the ends of the articles 15. The grapple then may be raised andtransported to the next group of articles which for the purpose ofillustration may be of shorter lengths than the rst articles 15. Thegrapple may be lowered to align the ends 12 with the ends of a `group ofarticles after which the handwheel 14 may be actuated to move theauxiliary frames 11 inwardly toward each other simultaneously likedistances, for example, to the dotted line positions of the heads 12after which the group of articles may be transported to anotherposition.

Attention is directed to the fact that the close positioning of thelateral members 25 upon each side of the transporting hook 27 assuresbalancing of the main frame 1t) on its support 27. Furthermore, thedriving connection between the auxiliary frames carried by the mainframe 3 assures accurate positioning of the auxiliary frames relative toeach other and the main frame to, not only balance the parts of thegrapple in the main frame, but to balance the load carried by thegrapple by positioning itcentrally of the lifting means 27. Suitablemeans 54 mounted on the end opposite the handwheel 14 may counterbalancethe grapple for the portions present in the right hand section thereofthat are not present in the left hand section. Furthermore, theinterfitting arrangement of the auxiliary frames with the main frame addstrength to the structure. The necessary clearance between the channelmembers 17 and 18 of the main frame for the Z- shaped members of theauxiliary frames to assure ,relative movements of the frames may allowsome out of line positioning of the frames during transporting of aheavy load but the rocking supports for the threaded elements 42 preventthis action from causing damage to the screws 41 and the threadedelements.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements are simplyillustrative of the application of the principles of the invention.Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled inthe art which will embody the principles of the invention and fallwithin the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A grapple comprising a centrally supported elongate main frameincluding pairs of equally spaced back-toback angular members formingend-to-end parallel guide ways between the backs of the members andendato-end out-of-plane guide surfaces on respective upper and lowerportions of the pairs of members, auxiliary frames formed of pairs ofelongate Z-shaped elements positioned with central portions thereoflongitudinally movable in their respective guide ways from opposing endsthereof and top and bottom lateral portions thereof riding respectivelyupon and beneath their out-of-plane upper and lower guide surfaces, theZ-shaped elements of the auxiliary frames having inner and outer ends,load supporting heads mounted on the outer ends of the elements, theinner ends of the elements being disposed in the main frame equaldistances from the central support thereof, and means supported by themain and auxiliary frames to maintain the frames relatively positionedand actuable `to move the auxiliary frames like distances toward eachother, until the aligned Z-shaped members thereof meet in alignment withthe central support, and away from each other predetermined distances toreceive loads of different lengths in the heads.

2. A grapple comprising a centrally supported elongate main frameincluding pairs of equally spaced backto-back angular members formingend-to-end parallel guide ways between the backs of the members andend-toend out-of-plane guide surfaces on respective upper and lowerportions of the pairs of members, auxiliary frames formed of pairs ofelongate Z-shaped elements positioned with central portions thereoflongitudinaly movable in their respective guide ways from opposing endsthereof and top and bottom lateral portions thereof riding respectivelyupon and beneath their out-of-plane upper and lower guide surfaces, themain frame having connecting members extending between the pairs ofangular members and having offset end portions secured to theirrespective angular member of each pair and intermediate notches toreceive their respective lateral portions of the Zshaped elements, theZ-shaped elements of the auxiliary frames having inner and outer ends,load support heads mounted on the outer ends of the elements, the innerends of the elements being disposed in the main frame equal distancesfrom the central support thereof, and means supported by the main andauxiliary frames to maintain the frames relatively positioned andactuable to move the auxiliary frames like distances toward each other,until the aligned Z-shaped members thereof meet in alignment with thecentral support, and away from each other predetermined distances toreceive loads of different lengths in the heads.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 978,858Devitt Dec. 20, 191() 1,753,400 Bryson Apr. 8, 1930 1,807,124 Meyer May26, 1931 1,830,264 Edwards Nov. 3, 1931 2,276,905 Windsor Mar. 17, 19422,284,238 Todd May 26, 1942

